AU women's season ends at the hands of Pfeiffer

The Anderson University women began their 2012-13 basketball season with a loss to Pfeiffer and ended it the same way, as a dramatic comeback fell just short in an 84-78 loss to the Lady Falcons in the NCAA Southeast Regional in Morrow, Ga.

AU (23-9) trailed 50-30 at halftime and appeared to be completely out of contention in the first game of the day at Clayton State University's Athletics and Fitness Center. However, Jim Brunelli's team battled back over the final 20 minutes, pulling to within two points late in the quarterfinal contest before watching Pfeiffer (25-6) salt the game away from the free throw line.

With the score 80-78 Pfeiffer's Brittany Cox was fouled with 8.9 second to play and hit both free throws to make it a two possession game.

Cox added two more foul shots in the waning moments to put the final at 84-78.

"We just ran out of time," Brunelli said.

Cox scored a game-high 24 points in Pfeiffer's 85-77 double overtime victory over the Trojans in both teams' season opener on Nov. 10 and was one of three primary offensive weapons for the winners.

Although she had 20 — none bigger that the four freebies she dropped in toward the end — the Lady Falcons were led by Jodie Lemons' 27 points and Christina Harvey with 26.

"Those three can put up points like that every night," said Pfeiffer coach Jill Thomas, whose team hit 10 of 20 3-pointers.

But Anderson, which spent many a game scrambling for a win throughout the campaign, almost did it again in this one thanks to the one-two punch of senior sensations Alissa Diaz and Brenda Shannon.

Diaz, the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year and First Team All-Southeast Region selection, had 24 points and Shannon pumped in 23 — all but two coming in the second half.

Shannon also ripped down 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season.

The deficit was as large as 22 in the second half before the Trojans, seeded No. 3, made things too close for comfort for the No. 6 seeds.

"We fought hard," said Brunelli, the SAC Coach of the Year. "That's what this team has done all year."

Tilde Ahlin was the Black and Gold's third double digit scorer with 12 points and point guard Sierra Simpson contributed 10 rebounds to the cause.

AU won the rebounding battle 39-35 but 31 of Pfeifer's caroms came on the defensive end.

The Trojans also did a good job of taking care of the ball, committing just five turnovers.

In the end, though, the Lady Falcons' first half onslaught was enough to propel the Conference Carolinas team to the semifinals of the Southeast Regional.

"I'm so proud of our kids," Thomas said. "We fought hard, dominated the first half and made the late free throws we needed to."